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Tricare, Joint Task Force Partner to Uphold Medical Mainstays

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090812-25
Release Date: 8/12/2009 4:20:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Timothy Wilson, National Naval Medical Center Public Affairs

BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- The new director of Tricare Management Activity (TMA) received a briefing of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and then toured the construction sites of the future Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) Aug. 10.

Rear Adm. Christine Hunter is charged to lead TMA after three years at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Hunter and National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) Commander Rear Adm. Matthew Nathan agreed Tricare will be instrumental in assisting the hospital to continue to provide quality health care to its patients.

Joint Task Force (JTF) National Capital Area Medical Commander Vice Adm. John Mateczun was also on hand to discuss the relationship between Tricare and the JTF and how the two organizations will continue to build their relationship over the next several years.

An integral component of the BRAC integration process is taking the existing services of NNMC and Walter Reed Army Medical Center and combining them into a singular cohesive unit. At the core of this philosophy is the "medical home" concept which emphasizes four primary health care mainstays: accessibility, continuity, coordination and comprehensiveness.

"We are looking at a number of different ways of doing preventive care," Hunter said. "As you design your medical practice and think about the flow of health care, … you think about the information you get back and incorporate [that] into your records. This is something of great concern to me as well."

Scheduled to open in the spring of 2011, the future WRNMMC will function through a collective effort of Navy, Army, Air Force and civilian personnel.

"One of the challenges we have is making all the pieces fit," said David Oliveria, deputy chief of staff for facilities and BRAC program manager. "We are building a hospital, inside a hospital, while we continue to operate as a hospital."

"As we combine the business offices of the two facilities, Walter Reed and Bethesda, [a concern] is figuring out what approach we are going to have to continuing care," said Nathan, who also is commander of Navy Medicine National Capital Area. "It's going to workout, but it is part of the complexity."

Hunter, who was also the commander of Navy Medicine West during her time in San Diego, said service members are promised comprehensive health care coverage when they enlist, and that's what they will be given.

She said she would like to convert service records to electronic files and ramp-up Tricare's on-line pharmacy here to ease traffic and parking. According to Hunter, allowing patients to order medications online could be just one way Tricare can help the BRAC mission.

For more news from National Naval Medical Center, visit www.navy.mil/local/nnmc/.